The boy that was left out in the cold
by missyAn
Summary: Gibbs takes in an abused and hurt child,teaching him how to trust in others again.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N This is set in an A/U ,where Kate is still alive and on the team,but Tim is just a child. It will contain swearing and talk of child abuse.**

Agent Gibbs hurried back to the NCIS building,holding his fast cooling cup of black coffee in his hand. Dusk was just setting and at the end of the November-day and the wind was ice-cold, cutting through his body,painfully. He was looking forward to the warm and cosy squad-room. His eyes fell on the young boy sitting on a bench near the river bank and he couldn't help but notice that the boy only had a light jacket on,that wasn't really warm enough for this weather,but knowing teenagers he probably chose to dress that way,to irritate his poor doting mother.

The team,consisting of Tony,Ziva and Kate worked until dark to finish their respective paperwork and then left for home,leaving their Boss behind in the emptying squad-room. Gibbs checked their reports and left a hour later ,heading for home and a warm bowl of soup.

The teenage boy kept on sitting on the bench,his fingers and toes numb from the cold. He tried to fold his body as small as possible,trying to hide from the cold wind. After a while he got up and started to pace up and down,blowing into his freezing hands to try and get rid of the cold. It wasn't pleasant moving around his bruised and battered body. He once again looked at the big ship,named the Barry that was docked nearby,hating every minute near her. He knew that it wasn't the ship's fault,that he was stranded here,but it was a stark reminder of his inadequacies.

He spent a hellish night on that bench and by morning he was too weak to fight the cold,his frail body slumping against the bench. He was ready to give up hope,ready to move into the everlasting Darkness ,somehow he didn't fear it, but welcomed it with open arms ,because for now it hurt too much to live.

Gibbs stepped out of the warm building,pulling his coat close against the cold on his way to buy his first cup of coffee for the morning. His eyes fell on the same figure that he saw the previous day,in the same clothes,slumped on the bench. He rushed over and was shocked to see a pale boy with blue lips,sitting huddled on the bench against the cold. He reached out and touched the ice-cold face,it felt like brushing against a corpse. He moved the stiff neck and found a very faint pulse. He berated himself,he saw the boy the previous day and should have checked on him,he even noticed the inadequate jacket he was wearing,but he did nothing.

He quickly phoned for an ambulance and then asked Ducky to come and help,while they waited for the EMTs. He pulled the frail boy into his arms covering him with his warm jacket,trying to heat his small,thin body up. "Wake up,come on wake up!Let me see your eyes,come on,you have to hang on,help is on the way." Nothing he did woke up the boy. He carried him into the warm NCIS building,sitting down at the security desk.

Ducky and the rest of the team met them there. They covered the boy in warm blankets and tried to give him some warm soup that the security guard at the front desk provided. Gibbs kept on holding the small boy,trying to coach him to take a sip of the warm soup. Tired looking green eyes blinked open and was instantly filled with fear.

Gibbs soothed him,couching him softly to take a sip of the warm soup."Ssh,ssh,Son,you are safe here,come take a small sip of this warm soup,it will make you feel better." The boy hesitantly sipped the warm soup,closing his eyes after only one sip."No you have to stay awake,Son,come on ,take another small sip for me."

Ducky was taking his temperature with a small battery-operated thermometer,that you only had to hold for a few seconds in a person's ear,as soon as it was taken,Ducky started to,"Tut,tut,this boy has hypothermia we have to get him to the hospital."

"Duck,I already called them,they should be here any moment.",Gibbs reassured him. The tired green eyes slid close again,the mere action of keeping them open too much for the boy. "Come on you have to stay awake,try and take another sip of this warm soup." They tried everything but the sad green eyes stayed closed. Gibbs was reluctant to hand the frail looking boy over to the EMTs ,but had no choice,he watched as they wrapped the boy in a heated blanket and tried to start an IV line on the thin,pale looking hands. They kept on failing causing dark blue bruises to form on the fragile looking hands,after the fourth try they found a vein and started the IV.

Gibbs climbed into the ambulance ,reluctant to be separated from the boy,still feeling guilty for leaving him out in the cold for the whole night..He gave one last order to his team,"Start looking for missing boys of his age,DiNozzo and David. Kate can you take a photo with your cellphone and put it in the database for missing children."

Ducky looked at his friend,sensing that something was bothering him,"Jethro,I will meet you at the hospital." The boy never woke up during the ride to the hospital. Gibbs followed the stretcher into the ER,never leaving the boy's side. They were pushed into a small cubicle in the busy ER and a doctor and nurse took the report from the paramedics ,while Gibbs listened. As soon as the report was finished the doctor looked at Gibbs,"We will take it from here Agent...?"

"Gibbs and I want to stay if its alright."

"Okay,agent Gibbs,just don't get in the way.",the young doctor said,while he started to examine the young boy. He was lifting up the boys shirt and jacket to listen to his heart when he saw the extensive bruising and welts on the small body,"What the fuck...!" His eyes locked with Gibbs's eyes,"What happened to this poor boy?"

Gibbs was just as horrified by the signs of abuse,"I don't know,I just found him passed out on a bench in front of NCIS."

The nurse had to blink the threatening tears back and started to undress the too thin boy,"Dr. Bates he is surely malnourished,you can see almost every bone,there is no body fat to speak of."

The more they uncovered the boy,the worse the injuries got,some bruises and welts were fresh,while others were obviously older and starting to heal. The bruising on his ribs was particular ugly and the doctor ran his fingers over his ribs,"Some ribs seemed to be fractured ,we will need x-rays of the whole body,nurse Stevens."

Every second increased Gibbs's guilt,he should have checked on the injured boy the previous night,but he was only thinking of getting himself warm. The nurse and doctor worked with practised hands and slipped the remaining clothes off the boy's body,all three of them stared at the bruising and burn marks around his genitalia. The nursed exclaimed shocked,"It looks like he was also sexually assaulted!"

The doctor just shook his head in sympathy,"Some one sure put this kid through a world of hurt." He turned the boy on his side and said with a sad voice,"We will have to do a rape kit,there is extensive scaring around his anus and some signs of recent sexual activity."

Gibbs was getting more paler by the minute,his legs started to shake,the poor boy suffered through so much,having to endure what no one ever should have to. The nurse looked at him and saw his reaction,"Maybe you should go and sit down for a while in the waiting room,while we care for the boy. I will come and get you as soon as we are finished."

Gibbs didn't want to leave the boy,but his body was in shock from what he had seen. He was just sitting down on a hard plastic chair,when his friend appeared,"Ah Jethro,is there any word on the lad yet?"

Gibbs felt numb,as a Marine he saw a lot of soldiers hurt and in pain,but the images of the small,frail body would forever haunt his nightmares. What sort of animal did that to the poor boy? Where were his parents while this was happening? And then the obvious answer struck his mind,it was probably his own parents that did it to him. He would never understand how some one can take the precious gift ,of having a child for granted. He looked up when Ducky rested his hand in support on his shoulder,"Duck,it wasn't only hypothermia,the boy was brutally assaulted,there is evidence of recent sexual assault. His whole body is covered with bruises ,welts and burns,the doctor says he is having scaring around his anus,this is been happening for a long time."

Ducky shook his head in shame,"Oh,Lord! The poor lad,he couldn't be older than 12."

The distraught man next to him started to speak again,"He is so thin Ducky,his body has almost no fat. I saw him sitting on that damn bench last night,I should have checked on him,its my fault that he almost died!" He got up and started to pace agitatedly in the waiting room.

Ducky looked at him sadly ,"Jethro it isn't your fault,you couldn't have known he need help. It won't help the boy if you blame yourself,we should rather try and find out who he is and whom did this to him."

Gibbs sat down,feeling a little better,"You are right Duck,we need to find those responsible for what happened to the boy,I will leave no stone unturned until we find them!"

They sat there in silence waiting for the doctor,both pre-occupied with their own thoughts. Gibbs kept on having flashes of Kelly,her laughter resounding through his mind,he still couldn't understand how somebody could treat a child this callous. He would give anything in the world,to just spent a few more minutes with his little girl,but this people had a perfectly healthy child and they abused him and starved him.

Dr. Bates walked into the waiting room,his eyes tired and sad,after Gibbs introduced Ducky ,he started to talk."The boy is ill,but he should pull through. He has some,broken ribs and deep bruising of his organs,his right fore-arm is fractured and the bone was allowed to heal,without being properly set,we will have to take him to surgery to set it right. He is severely malnourished and is dehydrated. His body shows signs of repeated abuse and sexual assault,his x-rays are riddled with healed broken bones. This child have been abused for years. The main problem now is,is that he is showing signs of the beginning of a bad flu,which could easily turn into pneumonia in his weakened condition and then we will have a real problem."

Gibbs asked hopefully,"Can you list me as a contact for him and can we see him?"

The doctor looked at him for a few seconds,"Do you know his name yet or where he comes from?"

"No but my team is looking through missing children cases and will identify him if he is in the database."

The doctor continue to talk,"You can see him agent Gibbs. I have already contacted child-services and did the rape kit,can I give the evidence to you?"

Gibbs took the box of evidence,"You can give it to me,NCIS will investigate it as the boy was found on the Navy Yard."

The doctor led them to the room the small boy was in,they shared the same look of horror ,looking at the small,pale boy lying in the big white bed. The images of what was done to him still fresh in their minds. Gibbs walked to the bed and took the pale,cold hand in his,he whispered,"No one is ever going to hurt you again and I promise you those that hurt you will be found and punished. You only have to concentrate on getting better."

He looked back at the boy one last time more, before he and Ducky left. They drove in silence back to the Navy Yard,both shocked with the ugly side they saw of humanity today. Back at NCIS ,Gibbs rushed to the bullpen and after he told his team how the boy was doing, he asked for an update. Three pairs of guilty eyes looked at him,but Tony took the burden on himself to tell his boss that they found nothing,"Boss,no one reported him missing and he isn't in the data-base for missing children."

Gibbs couldn't contain his anger any longer and his fist landed hard on his desk,"Someone just tossed this boy out with the garbage,not caring what happens to him! We need to find who did it! Tony go and see if Abby needs any help with the rape kit! I'm going to give the director an update and then I will go back to the hospital,the boy is the only one who can tell us now what happened to him."

**********NCIS***********

Gibbs sat in the small hospital room looking at the boy sleeping,he had a soft babyish face,with light-brown hair and full pouting lips. In his sleep he looked so innocent ,that once again he had to wonder who could hurt such an innocent child. The boy was surrounded by IV lines and medical equipment and every half hour a nurse came and checked on his condition,the boy haven't moved since Gibbs sat down on the chair next to his bed. He looked up at the stern woman ,who was dressed in a grey suit ,entering the room.

"I'm Grace Hendricks and are from child-services,the nurse at the front desk says you are the agent that found him. Have you found his parents yet?"

"No,Mrs. Hendricks,we are still searching for his identity."

She looked with disinterested eyes at the pale boy in the bed and sighed,"I suppose we will have to find him a place to live,there isn't any place I can think of,this time of year everywhere is already full."

Gibbs had to suppress his anger,it seems everywhere the boy went ,he was a burden. His heart spoke before he even thought about it,"I will take him."

The woman looked at him,her eyes sceptical,"Why would you want to take a damage child like this in?"

Gibbs was boiling under his skin,"Because a hurt child like this needs a safe place to stay and I can provide that."

She sniffed critically,"That would save me a lot of trouble,but first you will have to fill out some paperwork and there are some arrangements we have to make. If you are serious about it ,you can come with me and we can start on it." Gibbs followed her out of the room and a hour later he had temporary custody of the boy.

***********NCIS***********

The music in Abby's lab was muted,Tony walked carefully into the Goth's domain,soft music like this was uncommon. He saw her sitting in front of her computer screen,tears running down her cheeks,"Abby,why are you crying?"

She sniffed and wiped away the tears,"Tony,look at this photos,how can anyone hurt a child like this. It is breaking my heart to look at what was done to him,no child should ever have to suffer like this!"

Tony held her in his arms while he looked at the pictures on the screen,he had to agree with her,no child should ever have been treated like this. He always thought his own father was a bastard,but nothing he did to Tony came near this."Abs we will find who did this and then he will have to answer to Gibbs,but for now we have to do our best and work through the evidence. Gibbs ordered me to come and help you,so where do we start."

She gave a brave smile,"Yes,Tony,Boss-man will take care of him!"

Leon Vance was still surprised with the phone call he had from child-services and wondered why Gibbs agreed to take the hurt boy into his home. He knew about his first wife and child that was killed,but offering to take an unknown child into your home,was going beyond the normal sense of duty. He however reassured the woman on the phone that Gibbs would provide a safe environment for the child to stay in,he just hoped everything worked out fine and they found the boy's family,before it became necessary for Gibbs to take him home.

*************NCIS**********

Gibbs returned to the hospital room with a fresh cup of coffee,still unsure why he volunteered to take the boy in,maybe it was the innocent face and the sad-looking eyes that persuaded him or it was his guilty conscience ,but either way he was going to take his duty very serious. It was late afternoon when the boy started to move and he waited patiently for him to wake up on his own time.

Tim was surprised to find himself lying on a soft bed,surrounded by warm blankets and free from pain. He was still very hungry,but chided himself for being so greedy,being warm and pain-free was already so much more than he can ask for. He lay still in the bed savouring the pleasant feeling,almost believing he was still dreaming,in real life it was seldom that he had no pain and was lying in a soft warm bed. He remembered the cold night he spent on the bench and then opened his eyes in fear,he was disappointed to find that he was still alive.

His big green eyes looked curiously around the room and he was frightened to find he was in a hospital room,his father was going to kill him for ending up here. The heart monitor was beating frantically as he took in his situation. He found the warm blue eyes staring at him and recognised the soothing voice,"Just relax Son,you are safe here."

He said with his inherently honesty,"Nowhere is ever safe,Sir."

Gibbs felt the lump forming in his throat,for this child there would seem to be nowhere safe,"You can call me Gibbs and you are really safe here." The big green eyes stayed full of doubt.

"What is your name Son?"

The green eyes were unsure what to say,if he told them his name,his father would get into trouble and at the end he would pay for it. But he never could lie and the man staring at him looked like the type that could really hurt you. Gibbs saw the hesitation,"If it is your father you are afraid of,I can promise you he will never touch you again."

Tim could see the honesty in the face ,although he doubted that any one would be able to protect him from his father. He asked,"Why?"

Gibbs was perplexed ,"Why what,Son?"

"Why would you want to protect me against him,what do you care?"

Gibbs was speechless,he didn't know how to win the boy's trust,it was sad that a child this young lost all trust in humanity."Because I care and really want to help you,no one should ever have to go through what you did."

The boy blushed in shame,while he slept they probably saw what was done to him,"I didn't like it!"

Gibbs was confused and then realised what they boy was trying to say and why he was looking so ashamed,"No one blames you,you couldn't stop what was done to you,you are only a child."

"What if I deserved some of what was done to me?"

Gibbs's voice almost broke when he spoke again,"Nothing you ever did could warrant what was done to you,you have to believe me."

"I'm Timothy McGee.",the boy said,with his eyes still filled with doubt. The nurse arrived again and started to take the boy's vitals and Gibbs took the time to phone his team.


	2. Chapter 2

Tim didn't know why the tears started to roll down his cheeks,it wasn't as if he had pain anywhere or had a reason to cry,but for some reason the tears persisted on running down his cheeks. Maybe it was that at this moment in life he was ready to give up,ready to stop fighting the continuous up-hill battle that have become a way of life for him. He gave in and became the weakling his father always accused him to be,he wished that they had just left him alone on that cold bench to die. He already went through all the pain that came when one was dying,but they foiled his last wish and pulled him back into this miserable life. Now he was going to have to face his father once more,be humiliated and hurt ,there seemed to be no end to his pain.

Gibbs came back in to the room after talking to Tony,he asked his senior agent to gather as much information on the boy's family as he could. He was instantly worried when he saw the tears on the boy's face,"Timothy are you in pain,must I get the nurse to come and give you something?" The boy just frowned and then turned his back on him,he stood there for a few seconds contemplating what to do and then walked to the bed and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. He stood there while the boy cried ,giving his silent support, at a lost what to do more. After a while the boy's body went limp and he realised that he had cried himself to sleep.

At dinner time he woke the boy up,"Timothy ,come on wake up,it is time for dinner." The green eyes looked irritated when he woke up,but as soon as he saw the plate of food ,he struggled upright,winching in pain.

Tim didn't remember when last he ate and seeing the plate of food in front of him,made his stomach growl in anticipation. He wanted to wolf done the food,but the man was still in the room. He looked at the food longingly,but didn't touch it,he knew better than that. Gibbs saw the hesitation and wondered about it,but made remark on it,"Come on you have to eat if you want to get better."

"Aren't you hungry ,Sir?",the pale boy asked. "No ,this is for you,I will get something later." The boy reached tentatively for the plate,checking if this wasn't a cruel joke. He took the fork and scooped up the first forkful of mashed potatoes ,but still he looked at the man unsure."Come-on ,the food is getting cold.",Gibbs said.

The boy couldn't help himself ,as soon as the first fork full of mashed potatoes reached his mouth,his eyes closed in delight. He savoured each bite,the last time he had a full plate of food was when his mother still lived with them and that was a few years back. He had to control himself ,to chew each bite thoroughly and not to wolf down the food. He ate until he couldn't fit another mouthful into his distended stomach,wishing he could hide the rest for later,he never knew when he would be fed again.

Gibbs watched the boy eat and it broke his heart to see how hungrily the boy ate the unappetizing hospital food as if it was a feast fit for a king. It just gave him one more reason to kill the boy's father when he lay his hands on him.

Tim's stomach rebelled against the sudden intake of so much food,he felt nauseous and looked around the room desperately .Gibbs saw the panicked look and realised that the boy was going to vomit,he grabbed the waste bucket and held it in front of the his face. The boy looked horrified and then started to bring up all the food he ate,tears started to run down his face. Gibbs pressed the button to call a nurse and then soothingly rubbed his hand up and down the boy's back. He was gasping after the last heave,"I...I'm...s-sor-ry...Sir! I'm...v-ve-ry...sor-ry!"

Gibbs tried to reassure him,"It's okay,you did nothing wrong! I think the food was just too heavy for your stomach." The nurse rushed in and helped the boy to clean up,while she was busy Gibbs noticed his senior agent and his favourite Goth entering the ward. Abby was carrying her favourite stuffed hippo and in the other hand she held a large cup of coffee. Tony was also laden,both hands full of bags. Abby exuberantly rushed over to Gibbs,"Gibbs,Gibbs,Tony wanted to give you a report on what we found and I decided to join him. We decided to bring a few things for the boy and of-course we brought you some coffee,but I couldn't decide what you wanted to eat,so we brought you a few things." She stopped to take a deep breath and was ready to start again,but Tony took the opportunity to speak,"Gibbs ,I though I would give the report personally to you and see how the boy is doing."

Gibbs led them into the room and the boy watched them with his big green eyes filled with fear."Tim let me introduce you to Abby and Tony,they work with me." The boy shyly said,"H-he-lo!"

Abby rushed over to the bed,"Hi,I brought my friend Bert to keep you company." She sat the purple hippo down on the bed. Tim unsure of himself poked it with one finger. Tony walked to the bed and picked up the toy and squeezed it,a loud fart rang out through the room,"He has some extra features to make one feel better!" The boy smiled and this simple act turned his face into a beautiful picture. He picked up the hippo and pressed it against his body with his good arm,as soon as the hippo farted a small giggle slipped out of his mouth.

It was the first spontaneous act the boy made for the whole day and it delighted Gibbs,the serious boy looked so innocent at that moment. Abby started to unpack the bags,she brought a few magazines and a Harry Potter novel. The boy reverently took the novel in his hands and looked unbelieving at the strange,but beautiful woman,"Is it really for me?"

Abby struggled to swallow the lump in her throat,this simple gift meant so much to the boy. Tony saw the action and jumped in,"I of-course wanted to get the DVD,it is much easier to see the movie than to read the book."

The boy cradled the book against his body,"No!No,this is so much better,I love to read." Abby took the other bags and pulled out a few bottles of juice and cartons of yoghurt,"This is for when you get hungry,growing boys need a lot of food."

Tim blushed,remembering the previous fiasco with his dinner. Gibbs grabbed one of the bottles of juice and opened it for the boy,"Here,drink this it will be easier on your stomach and then have some of this yoghurt."

Abby was talking about a myriad of subjects while the boy ate his yoghurt and savoured the juice. Gibbs and Tony stepped out of the room and Tony gave his report. "Timothy McGee senior was employed by the navy for twenty-five years as a commander. He and his wife was separated,she took their little girl and disappeared,a warrant was still out for her arrest,stating that she abducted the little girl. McGee senior was currently retired,due to post-traumatic-stress disorder. They lived in a small apartment in a bad section of the city. School records stated that the boy was often long periods absent from school ,due to illness. That didn't prevent him from excelling at school though. Senior McGee had a few arrests for drunken disorder,but otherwise his record was clean."

"Good work,Tony.",Gibbs said while he drank his fresh coffee.

"Do you want us to take him down tonight?"

"No leave him until tomorrow morning,then you and Ziva pick him up first thing. Phone me when you got him in interrogation,I want to do the interview myself. Let Kate start to look for the mother,let everyone go home and rest ,we will do the rest tomorrow."

After Tony and Abby left,the boy read for a while and then fell asleep with the book open on his chest. Gibbs covered him and dimmed the light,settling himself in a chair next to the bed. He knew he could have gone home and sleep in his own bed,but he wanted to be there for the boy. It was amazing how fast Abby and the boy made a connection, they had so much in common and he realised that the boy was very bright. He was however nervous around Tony and shied away from any physical contact,he reluctantly made eye-contact with the other agent.

_In his dream Tim was back in that sail-boat on the stormy sea,he was lying in a corner weak and dehydrated,it was the second day that he was plagued with seasickness. His father started to drink early that day and by late afternoon he was really drunk. He was shouting at Tim's mother,while she was cradling his small sister Sarah ,protectively against her chest_ . "_Stop coddling the boy,Claire! He is already a weakling and it is all your fault! Let him get up and fetch his own water!"_

_Claire was crying,she could only watch as her little boy was lying too weak to move,"Please Timothy,you know he gets seasick,we should have given him something before he got on the boat!"_

"_Claire he is a McGee,my family have a long history in the Navy,he has to get use to the sea!" Tim's father shouted and pushed his mother away from him. Her foot caught on a rope and she fell backwards into the sea with Sarah. Tim's father just stood there,watching disinterested._

_Tim was trying to move his weak ,small body to help them,but it was hopeless,"Dad we have to help them,Mom and Sarah will drown!" His father just kicked him and said,"Maybe its for the best!"_

Gibbs woke from his slumber ,hearing the boy calling out frantically for his mother. "Mom,momma! Please dad help them!"

The boy was moving restlessly on the bed,crying and shouting in his sleep. He sat down on the bed and shook the boy lightly,"Come on,wake up Tim. Its just a dream."

Tim woke up disorientated and for a minute he forgot where he was,he moved away scared,thinking that the man on the bed was his father. "Its okay Tim,you are safe here.", the man's gentle voice brought him back to the reality.

Gibbs asked softly,"Do you want to talk about your nightmare,Son?"

Tim didn't want to talk about his nightmare,he knew his father would kill him if he said anything about what happened on that boat and anyway it was his fault to begin with. If he wasn't such a wimp,his mother and sister would still be alive,if he didn't get seasick as soon as he set foot on a boat. "No,I'm okay .",he lied. He tried to go back to sleep,but he couldn't stop hearing his mother's desperate cries and Sarah's crying.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony and Ziva walked in to the run-down building,following the graffiti-riddled passage to a brown,dented door and stopped to knock on the door. It took a while before a dirty scruffy-looking man opened the door,"What the fuck do you want?",the man swore offensively.

Tony tried to stay professional,but looking at the large man he knew that the small boy in the hospital had no chance against the large violent man."We are agents Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David with NCIS."

The dirty man tried to close the door,"I'm not in the Navy any-more!"

Ziva pushed her foot in the doorway,"Are you Timothy McGee?"

She almost move back when she caught the smell of the man's unwashed body,"Who wants to know?",he asked.

Tony had enough and lost his temper,pushing the door open with a loud crash. He pushed the man against a wall and deftly cuffed him,"We don't have time to play games." Tony started to pull the swearing and spitting man out of the building,while he read him his rights. He winched when Ziva helped the offensive man ,none to lightly ,into the back seat of their sedan.

Gibbs watched the boy sleeping and in the morning light he could see how frail and vulnerable the young boy looked. Tim had a rough night and only fell asleep in the morning hours. Gibbs waited patiently for the boy to wake up,needing to get his side of what happened before he went back to NCIS to go and interview the father. Kate already had a warrant to go and look at the apartment the boy and his father lived in and was sitting next to him watching the boy sleep.

She looked at the boy with sorrow in her eyes and asked softly,"Do you really think it was his father that did this?"

Gibbs didn't answer her,he just nodded and carried on drinking his coffee.

Kate kept on talking,"Why did the mother leave him behind,why not take him with her and his sister?"

Gibbs just gave a small shrug with his shoulders. Nothing that happened to the boy made any sense to him,he just knew one thing for sure,no-one would ever hurt the boy again,if he had anything to say about it.

The boy started to shift in the bed and when he opened his frightened,green eyes,Gibbs introduced him to Kate. Tim stared warily at Kate,but took the opened juice container that Gibbs handed him and started to sip.

Gibbs looked at the boy,"Tim can you tell us what happened to you and who hurt you?"

The skinny boy,just fidgeted with his straw,his eyes directed on his blanket. Kate stood up and tried to take the boy's hand,but stopped when he flinched away. She spoke softly to the boy,"You can tell us anything,we are here to help you. Who hurt you?"

Tim folded his arms protectively over his frail body,"Why ,what can you do to help me?"

Gibbs spoke up,"We can stop who ever is hurting you and find you a safe place to live."

The boy kept on fidgeting with his straw,not making eye contact. He wanted to trust them,but it was so hard,he learned at an early age that it was fatal to trust adults.

Kate asked softly,"Was it your father that hurt you?"

Tim started to rock slowly forwards and backwards,"He ..said...it was my own fault,...that I deserved it...for …...being so bad."

"Who said that,Tim?",Gibbs asked gently.

"My father...I …..never did...anything right.",the boy looked up with pleading eyes,"I...re-ally ...tried very hard...but it was …...was never good enough!"

The boy kept on rocking and Kate had to bite back the tears. She wanted to ask another question but the boy spoke again,"He...he tried his...best,I kept on...making him angry."

Gibbs lost his patience but kept a tight control over his anger,he gently spoke to the boy,"No,Tim,it doesn't matter what you did,your father had no right to hurt you like this."

"Mom ...mom said he was...was ill and couldn't ..help it."

Kate asked the boy,"Tim do you know where your mom and sister are?"

The boy got agitated and started to shout,"I don't know! It wasn't my fault,I wanted to help,it wasn't my fault!" He curled up in a small ball and started to sob,a nurse rushed into the room and after she called a doctor ,the boy was sedated and fell into a deep sleep. The angry nurse pushed both agents out of the room and told them the boy would be asleep for a few hours.

Kate looked at her boss,"Boss,maybe it would be better if a child psychologist spoke to the boy,I don't think we are helping him."

Gibbs answered sarcastically,"You think. Lets go and check out the apartment and then interrogate the son of a bitch ,back at NCIS."

Gibbs and Kate was appalled when they saw the dirty and untidy apartment. The living-room was bare and had a threadbare couch and a television set,the floor was riddled with empty beer bottles. The kitchen was mostly empty and they found no food or anything else than beer in the fridge. The boy's room was the worse and had a mattress on the floor and a few pieces of clothes in the closet. The door had a strong padlock on the outside and they found scratches on the inside of the door,proving that the boy was locked often in the bare room. What was even worse,that there was no toys or books in the boy's room. It broke both agents hearts and they took the needed photographs quickly and then left the bare apartment behind. Gibbs entered the apartment once more and bagged the sheet on the boy's bed,remembering that DNA evidence would make their case stronger.

After interrogating the father Gibbs stormed out of the room,almost knocking his team over. The bastard tried to claim that he was insane and had no control over his actions and that he tried to take the best care of the boy that he knew how,after the mother dumped them. Gibbs knew that he would only spent a few years in jail and would then be set free again,to find a new child to hurt,but at least for now the boy was safe. It struck him then for the first time ,that he was a father once again and Tim would come and live with him. Abby rushed over and what she told him,made him even more angry,if his team didn't keep him away from the father,he would have killed him with his bare hands. On the boy's sheet there was evidence of five different suspects raping the boy and two of them showed up in the criminal database for child molesting. Tony promised to find them and then cleverly steered Gibbs out of the building telling him to go back to the hospital,because there was where he was needed.

Gibbs stared a long time at the sleeping boy,wondering how he was going to gain his trust. He decided to start one step at a time,first he needed to find a child psychologist to help Tim. He phoned Ducky and was pleased when the M.E assured him that he would make an appointment for the boy as soon as possible.

He then phoned Abby,her excited cries over the phone almost made him deaf,she would get the spare-room ready for the boy and see to it that he had some new clothes to wear. Kate and Palmer would go and get some groceries and fill up the fridge with healthy foods. The boy needed to be fed,his thin body still etched in Gibbs's mind. Vance would help Tony with the child molesters and Gibbs was reassured that they wouldn't get of light,Vance had children of his own and he took any crime against a child very serious. The last person he phoned was his father,Tim would need 24 hours care at first and he needed some help. Jackson sprang at the request,promising his son that he would be there early the next day,eager to meet his new grandson.

Tim woke up late afternoon and wearily looked at Gibbs,"Is my father coming to get me?"

Gibbs shook his head,"No Tim,he is going to jail for a long time,he won't be hurting you again."

The boy looked in disbelieve at the silver haired man,"But who is going to take care of me?"

"Tim,you are going to come and live with me,until we can find your mom."

The boy nervously glanced at him,"What if you can't find her?"

"That won't be a problem,you are welcome to stay with me as long as it takes."

Tim took the yoghurt Gibbs handed him and started to eat. Anything was better than living with his father,although the man looked scary. Tim was sure he would go to jail if he told the man about how his mother died and he warned himself silently,that he would never talk about it. He asked with hopeful eyes,"Will you let me go to school,allow me to learn new things?"

Gibbs smiled,"Yes we will send you to school as soon as you are better again and I'm sure Abby will get you lots of interesting books to read."

Tim hugged the blue hippopotamus and smiled at the loud fart,maybe his life wouldn't be so bad without his father,the only shadow was the secret that was hanging over his head. He knew that Gibbs was a federal agent and as soon as he learned about how his mother and sister died ,he would put Tim in jail.


	4. Chapter 4

Tim didn't want to talk to the child psychologist but the adults gave him no choice. He was utterly exhausted and had almost no sleep the previous evening,every time he closed his eyes he saw his mother and sister falling into the cold,dark sea. The psychologist lady tried to be friendly,but Tim wasn't fooled ,he knew she was paid to be friendly,what puzzled him was why Gibbs and the other federal agents were so nice.

Tim hated to think about the reasons they would want to be friendly towards him,his father sometimes brought other men home and Tim didn't like the way they were friendly with him,it hurt and it was humiliating. His father often withheld his food when Tim didn't preform as desired,it worried him that he already ate so much and didn't do anything in return. He was afraid that once he was sent home with the silver-haired man ,he would have to pay back,so he ate very little.

Gibbs couldn't understand why the little boy was still not eating much,he sometimes saw the hunger in the his eyes, but the boy only allowed himself to eat a small amount of food. It was amazing to see how he never took any of the candy Abby and Tony brought him and almost fearfully shoved it into his bedside cupboard.

Tim didn't want the candy,candy is what the bad men paid him with after they hurt him. He hid the delicious bait in his locker,trying to forget about them,he could see the disappointment on the adults eyes when he didn't fall for it.

The doctor discharged Tim after he saw the psychologist and he was dressed waiting in fear for the NCIS agent to come and get him. He was surprised to see the friendly older man with white hair entering the room with the agent. The grandfatherly-looking man was introduced as Jackson and he was the agent's father. Tim took his rough hand and was led out of the room.

Jackson Gibbs instantly liked the small shy boy,he was worried about the fact that he was so pale and thin, but he would fatten up the boy with his famous home-cooked meals. He was proud of his son taking in the lost boy and hoped that together they would begin to heal and start to live once again. It broke his heart when Shannon and his beloved Kelly died,but he didn't suffer nearly as much as his son. Leroy was lost without his family and without them he barely existed ,he never allowed himself to live and to enjoy life. He had three ex-wives,but that wasn't living,it was a way to try and get rid of the loneliness and hurt in his heart,but those marriages were doomed from the start because nothing would ever replace, what his son felt for his lost family. Not only did the abused boy need a family,but his son also needed someone to take care of and someone to love.

The boy was silent during the ride home and his big green yes were filled with fear and apprehension. Jackson felt sorry for the him,but kept the pity from showing,he was talking animately about his store in Stillwater and the big pot of chilli that was cooking in his son's kitchen. Tim knew if he allowed himself, he would come to like the old man,it seemed as if he led an interesting life and had a lot of interesting stories to tell.

Tim loved stories,he loved to loose himself in a world of make-believe. It was safe in the imaginary world,where little boys were allowed to play and eat as much as they wanted. Yes, there was witches and dragons in the fairy tales ,but in them good always prevailed over evil. Tim would love to write his own stories some day and did really well ,when they had to write essays in English-class. Next time he would pretend the old man was his grandfather,when they had to write about their families.

Tim was impressed with the neat house,when the car stopped in front of it,it looked just like those houses you saw on television with the white picket fences,where all the happy families lived. Tim was scared, but maybe he could pretend to be part of one of those happy families,maybe it wouldn't be so bad here.

Abby rushed out of the house as soon as the car stopped,she couldn't wait to show the little boy his room. She felt like she was part of one of those reality shows,where they send the family away and then decorated their homes. She enjoyed to prepare the room for the boy and got him loads of cool stuff,she couldn't wait to see his face when he walked into the room.

Tim hid slightly behind Gibbs's leg as Abby rushed out of the house right into the old man's arms. She first hugged and kissed Jackson and then turned to Gibbs,she hesitated when she saw the shy boy hiding behind Boss-man's legs. Luckily she decided to forgo the hug and greeted him loudly,"Welcome home giblet!"

Jackson snorted and steered her into the house,giving Gibbs time to reassure the boy."Tim,this is your new home and as you can see, everyone is happy to have you here. You don't have to be afraid any more,we won't hurt you."

Tim looked up into the ice blue eyes ,he tried to see the deception there but only saw compassion. He took his first step in trusting Gibbs and slipped his hand into the agent's rough hand and followed him into the house. Gibbs made a silent pledge to the boy as he took the small hand in his,"You will never regret,trusting me,Tim."

Abby was bouncing up and down at the foot of the stairs,and as soon as the boy stepped into her sight she squealed ,"Do you want to see your room? You are so going to love it,I got you loads of cool stuff and Tony brought you a PlayStation with some cool games. We are going to have so much fun...!"

"ABBY!", Gibbs stopped her ,"Calm down,you don't want to scare Tim!"

Abby rocked on her heels and took a deep,calming breath,while she punctuated the action with lifting up her arms and then slowly bringing them down as she exhaled."Okay,Giblet follow me!",she said more sedately.

Tim hesitantly followed her up the stairs and he had to agree the room that was assigned to him was really cool. The room was coloured blue and there was lots of pictures of whales and dolphins on the walls and on the curtains and bedspread. It was the computer and bookcase filled with books that caught Tim's eyes first,he looked up at Abby with disbelieve,"I get to read the books and touch the computer?"

Abby blinked the tears away that threatened to fall,"Of course,this is your room and this is your stuff!"

The one word and the look of pure delight in the sad green eyes made everything worth it for Abby."Cool!",Tim exclaimed.

Abby pulled out the chair in front of the computer and was delighted when the boy sat down and started to talk animatedly about computers and programming. Abby jumped right in and a bond was created between them,she was impress by the boy's computer knowledge and was flattered when the boy listened with interest as she explained all the features of the computer. Jackson had to call them twice down to lunch and was impressed with Abby when he saw the look of wonder in the boy's eyes.

Abby helped herself to a large bowl of Jackson's chilli and the adults were relieved to see the boy ate so much, while Abby kept on talking as they ate. The boy tensed slightly when Tony stepped in to the kitchen,but relaxed once the younger agent started to devour his own bowl of food. Tim still kept a watchful eye out,waiting for the first bad thing to happen. After lunch he fell asleep on the couch while he,Tony and Abby watched a movie. His last though before he was swept away by the sleep was that,he hoped that the fun would just last a while more ,before the hurt started again.

Gibbs watched the boy sleep and covered him with a light blanket,"You did good Abby,I'm so proud of you."

Abby smiled happily,"It wasn't a big thing,Gibbs. I enjoy talking to the boy,he is very bright and I think he is a good kid. I just hate to see him so afraid,if you allow me a few minutes with his father,I would kill him without leaving any evidence."

Jackson patted her knee approvingly,"That's my good girl!"

Tony was more interested in his stomach,"Jackson,do you think I could have some more of that delicious chilli you made?" Everyone laughed at him and they stood up and moved into the kitchen,to make some coffee and to feed Tony's growling stomach.

Tim didn't like the basement,the boat sent shivers up his spine. After his nap Gibbs took him down to the basement to show him his boat and was perplexed when the boy refused to step into the room, after he saw the boat. The fear was etched on the boy's face and he rushed back up the stairs to his room,where Gibbs found him cowering behind his bed.

It took a while to calm down the boy and to get him out ,behind the bed. All the trust that they build during the day was gone,the boy fidgeted nervously,"I'm sorry...I just don't like boats...they make me seasick!" Tim tried to reassure the agent,but couldn't help to feel that he somehow disappointed the man. The agent after-all worked for the Navy and would expect Tim to love the sea just like his father,but Tim didn't want to set a foot ever again on a boat,as long as he lived.

"It's okay ,Tim. Promise me that you will tell me, why you are so afraid of boats one day,when you are ready for it."

Tim hated to lie and never could do it well,"I don't know if I will ever be able to,Sir."

Gibbs was shook by the answer,but nothing showed on his face. He couldn't help to wonder what happened to the boy on a boat,to make him fear it this much."I can wait as long as it takes. I will always be hear to listen to you if you need to talk."

It wasn't going to happen,Tim could never tell anyone what he did,the stories he heard of jail,wasn't very nice and he knew that a weakling like him wouldn't do well there.


	5. Chapter 5

Tim lay there in the dark and hated every second,he had an intense fear of the dark,but was more afraid of getting up to switch on the light. He fell asleep with the light on and someone came and switched it of while he was sleeping. He hid under the thick,warm comforter,but he couldn't breath,it was too claustrophobic.

He hated himself for being this weak,he was afraid of so many things. Why couldn't he just be like a normal twelve year old boy? Why did he have to fear the dark so much? It was useless to lie to himself,he knew why he feared the Darkness,bad things happen in the dark.

He shivered,his ears pitched to listen for the tell-tale stumbling footsteps to near his door. Waiting in fear,he tried to breath as softly as possible,straining to hear the smallest noise in the unfamiliar house,he hated that he had to spend so much of his life in fear.

He desperately wanted the light on,but what if something was waiting in the dark for him,watching him silently in anticipation. The internal battle went on,maybe there was nothing there and if there was something there, it would be better to get it over with,the fear felt much worse than anything the Thing,waiting in the darkness,could do to him. Surely you could only die once,that though brought the panic back,almost dying in the cold, waiting the night out on the bench,was painful.

Tim whimpered in his bed and anxiously clamped his hand tightly over his mouth,he could hear the loud ,frantic beats of his heart, resounding in his ears. Someone will come,if he keeps on making noises and that would be worse than waiting in the Darkness. His ears strained to listen if his slip was heard and he couldn't help letting out another whimper.

He needed the light on,but what if something gripped his foot as soon as he put it out of the bed. The Darkness was crashing in on him,it became a live entity by itself,its dark ,sharp teeth waiting to devour him.

He needed to hide,even if it was only in his own head,he curled up as small as possible and held his breath,trying to hide. Dark spots appeared in front of his eyes from the lack of oxygen and he gasped to take another breath. He was sweating under the warm comforter,but couldn't push it off,he would be too vulnerable.

Then he heard the BAD thing,soft footsteps were nearing his door...!

Gibbs heard the soft whimpers as he came up the stairs from the boy's room,he worked until late on his boat,needing the distraction after an eventful day. He softly pushed the door open and saw the shivering mass under the blankets. He fumbled for the light-switch and then heard the fearful sounds the boy made,it sounded like a trapped animal.

Tim knew that it was going to happen,there was nothing he could do about it,but it didn't make it less scary. Bad things always happen in the night,when they came into your room. It was a pain you had to take and a secret you had to hide during the day from strangers. He hope so much,that living here would be different,but it was wishful thinking,they always wanted more,to hurt you and to rip your soul to threads. Maybe this is what he deserved,for killing his mother and sister,maybe he was already dead and this was hell.

The whimpers became more frantic and the small boy tried to curl up into himself. Gibbs didn't know what to do,how did you comfort this scared creature,without hurting him further more. He stood there and softly tried to speak to the boy,"Ssh,ssh,there is nothing to fear,you can come out now."

The curled-up mass just hid further and the shivers became more pronounced. He touched the boy's back,wanting to sooth him,but the panicked boy tried to edge away. Gibbs pulled his hand back quickly as if he touched an open flame,there was no gentle way to sooth the boy.

He pulled back the comforter and picked up the whimpering boy,cradling him on his lap. The boy tried to resist,but his condition was still weak and he tired very quickly. The desperate sobs broke the older man's heart,he could hear the fear and pain in the broken whimpers. He instinctively started to rock the small body and sang a soft lullaby his mother used to sing to him,when he was small. At first the words came haltingly,as he struggled to remember the words,he hummed several places,but the words came more easier after the first try.

It was a long time later that he realised that,the boy stopped crying and was watching him with big eyes,full of apprehension. He shifted the boy more comfortably and asked gentle,"What frightened you so much?"

Tim blushed,he wasn't sure how to handle the situation and shyly hid his face against the man's shoulder. Gibbs rubbed his back soothingly,"You can tell me anything,you don't need to be afraid of me."

Tim mumble against his shoulder,"It was the Dark...I hate it...its alive."

Gibbs smiled sadly,he could remember how it felt to be so small and to be afraid of the dark."We will get you one of those night-lights,that you can keep on,but it wasn't only the dark that scared you,was it?"

Tim gave a small whimper and grabbed onto the older man's shirt,he didn't like to talk about his fear,because THEY could use it against you,use it to hurt you,but this man haven't hurt him yet. He sang to Tim,no one have ever sang to him before,not even his mother."Bad things...seem to happen in the night...there's footsteps...then pain."

Tim started to sniffle again,Gibbs struggled to keep his anger at bay. He knew what the boy was talking about,he and Kate found the semen-stains on his mattress."It isn't going to happen here,we won't hurt you!"

He took the boy's small chin in his hand and lifted up to meet his scared eyes,"I promise you,no one will hurt you in this house,Tim! We are going to find the men that hurt you,they will go to jail and will never get to hurt you again."

Tim pulled away,he hid his burning face,he felt ashamed that the man knew that there was more than one man that hurt him. It made him feel dirty and tainted. He gathered his courage and asked,"What if I deserved it,because I'm bad?"

Gibbs kept on holding him close,"No,Timmy,there is nothing that you could ever do ,that will make you deserve what they did to you!"

Tim insisted almost angrily,"There is,I'm a very bad person!"

"Tell me what you think you did wrong?",Gibbs asked gently.

The boy started to cry once more,his sobs was so hard and uncontrolled that he struggled to catch his breath. Gibbs kept on trying to calm him down and after a while tried once more,"Just tell me what you did ,what was so bad?"

Tim begged,"Please ,please...don't make me...I cannot do that...you will send me away!"

Gibbs tried again,"Please just tell me,nothing you do will ever make me send you away."

The boy wiggled off his lap,his eyes refused to meet the older man's,"I'm tired now,I need to sleep now."

Gibbs could almost smell the fear coming off from the boy,he couldn't press the boy for an answer. He could make hard criminals confess to what they did,but it felt wrong to intimidate this small,scared boy. Gibbs couldn't make him talk,couldn't scare him.

He stood up and held up the comforter for the boy to crawl back into bed and then tucked him in. The boy was exhausted and soon his eyes started to droop close. Gibbs left the light on and left the door opened at a crack,so that he could hear if the boy had a nightmare.

It took a very long time for Gibbs to fall asleep,it felt so frustrating not to be able to help the boy. He knew the boy had a secret that he was trying to hide,he wondered what could be worse than the abuse he lived through. The only thing that he could think of was to try and talk to the child psychologist,maybe she would be able to get him to open up to her.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/n Thank you for the reviews and comments. This chapter was written after "Long Live BRUCAS" suggestion,thank you,it was a great idea.**

Jimmy was standing nervously in front of Agent Gibbs's front door,he was afraid of knocking on the stern agent's door. He had to come here today,after he heard about the injured and abused boy that came to live with Gibbs. The horrendous pictures he saw on Abby's computer of the abused boy,brought back a lot of his own bad childhood memories.

He remember how it felt to be uprooted from the home that you knew and to end up in foster care. He suffered alone through the first scary months,before he realised that he was safe and his father couldn't touch him again. Although everyone kept on saying it wasn't his fault he remembered that it was hard to believe it at first,he still sometimes thought that maybe if he was a better son,his father wouldn't have to hurt him.

His father was a famous football player and the geeky,shy boy never had anything in common with him. The big,angry man often yelled that no son of his could be such a wimp,his good grades at school never impressed his father,he wanted a jock for a son.

Jimmy remembered how the kitten his foster father gave him,helped him to gain some of his self-confidence and gave him a reason to live. That small kitten grew up to be a fat,lazy tabby and still lived with Jimmy. Gato was still his best friend and Jimmy often sat on his shabby couch and held the cat,stroking his fur lovingly,while he told his best friend about the bad case they were working on currently.

As soon as he heard about the boy's ordeal he knew that he had to meet the boy and needed to give him a reason to live again. He went to the animal shelter ,where he often volunteers,and got a small abandoned kitten for Tim. He brought a big bag of cat-food,a sand box and some bowls and toys for the kitten. It was a black kitten,with three amazingly white furred feet. Jimmy fell in love with it instantly and if he didn't get it for the boy,he would have taken it home with himself,although Gato would probably die of jealousy. Gato was a demanding and spoiled cat and he wasn't Jimmy's pet,Jimmy was his pet.

The little black cat meowed heartbreakingly and Jimmy knew it was now or never. He knocked softly on the door,almost hoping no one would hear him. He shivered slightly,everyone knew Gibbs's front door was always open,but this was his first time here and he didn't know if the invitation included him.

Gibbs was seated on his couch reading a book on woodworking,when he heard the soft knock on his front door. The house was quiet,Jackson was busy in the kitchen and the wonderful smell of a pot-roast filled the house. Gibbs loved the fact that his house was so warm and felt lived in,he missed the small things the most,when he was living alone. Tim had another rough session at the psychologist and was reading the book Abby brought him about wizards in his room.

Gibbs stood up and went to the door,Palmer was the last person he would have expected to see on his doorstep. He noticed instantly how afraid and scared the young man looked,but it was the small ball of fur that got his attention."Palmer...?"

Jimmy started to talk as fast as possible,he always rambled when he is afraid. The words rushed out of his mouth,"I had a kitten when I was small and he gave me something to love and to talk too. He is now a big cat and I named him Gato and he still listens when I need to talk. I know how it feels to go and live in a new place...mm...it is scary and you don't have anyone to talk too...!"

Jimmy took a deep breath and carried on while Gibbs looked at him in confusion."I thought that Tim would like to have a kitten and taking care of him would be good for his self-esteem. I will understand if you want me to take the cat back,it is a great responsibility and maybe you are more a dog..!"

Gibbs had to cut the nervous man off or he would keep them at the doorstep forever. "Palmer..Palmer!"

It took a while to get the rambling man's attention."Come in,I think it is a good idea. Thank you for being so thoughtful."

Jimmy blushed nervously,"I brought some food and a sandbox ans toys,they are still in the car. The kitten had all his shots and I will take him to the vet in six weeks time, to get his other booster shots."

Gibbs felt as if his head was spinning,"That is fine Palmer! Why don't you give me your keys and I will get the stuff from your car. You can take the cat upstairs,Tim is in his room,the first one on the left."

Jimmy said nervously,"Yes Sir!",and rushed up the stairs.

Jackson came out of the kitchen and looked at his son,with his brows arched.

"Dad,I hope there is enough food for an unexpected guest?"

Jackson reassured him,"No problem ,Son. I always make too much,but if it is DiNozzo,I might have to make some more roast potatoes."

Gibbs chuckled,"No thankfully it isn't him."

Palmer knocked nervously on the boy's open bedroom door and felt guilty when the boy jerked up in fear. He was huddle on his bed with a book,miles away. Jimmy felt the pang of hurt in his chest,it took him a long time to get over his own fear. The boy was really too thin and Jimmy could see that he had a rough time,there was still bruises on his face and his eyes had dark rings.

"My name is Palmer,may I come in? I work with Gibbs at NCIS and I brought you a present. I had a kitten,while I grew up and I thought maybe you would like to have one of your own too."

Tim shyly looked up at the new man,he instantly knew this wasn't someone he had to be afraid of. He could see that the man was nervous and he had something vulnerable in his eyes. Tim never had a pet and he watched the small ball of fur with fascination in Palmer's arms."Won't Gibbs mind if I take the cat,we first need to ask his permission."

"Tim he already said yes,I just need to know if you want him."

Tim jumped off the bed and walked to Jimmy,he softly rubbed the kitten's head. His eyes were filled with wonder,"I would love to take care of him. Does he have a name?"

"No you have to name the little guy yourself." Jimmy gently disengaged the kitten from his arms and gave him to the boy. The little kitten was vibrating while he purred contently with all the attention he got.

"Won't Gibbs want to name him?"

Gibbs walked into the room and was happy to see Tim cradling the kitten in his arms protectively,his eyes shining with happiness. He was going to be much more friendly and patient with Palmer,because of the way he made the abused child so happy."No,he is yours,so you get to name him."

Gibbs put the sandbox down and emptied the bag of toys on the bed. Jimmy instantly started to open the packages,and Gibbs turned to leave the room."Palmer we eat in a hours time and you are invited."

Jimmy looked up in surprise,but Gibbs was already leaving the room. He fidgeted nervously with his glasses,it was the last thing he expected. He and Tim then started to play and tease the cat with the toys. Soon Gibbs heard the merry laughter of a happy,twelve year boy. Even Jackson had to wipe the tears out of his eyes,as he came into the living room,"That young man is going to get a big piece of apple pie after dinner,he really deserve it."

Jimmy shyly started to talk about his own father while they played with the kitten. It was the first time he really told someone what happened and how he guilty he felt for splitting up his family. He told Tim how afraid and ashamed he was for a long time and how he made friends with his own cat.

Tim listened and didn't say much,but Jimmy could see the hurt in his eyes. He nervously looked at Jimmy,"Gibbs is a good man? He won't hurt me? Expect something more?"

Jimmy looked at the boy with compassion,"No,he would never hurt you,he lost his wife and daughter ,whom he loved very much. This is a second chance for both of you."

Tim wiped the tears that threatened to fall away,"I'm so afraid ,I had to do stuff for my Dad to get food,there is always so much to eat here,but I'm scared."

"No,no,Tim. You can eat as much as you want,he doesn't expect anything from you,you can just be a little kid here."

"What if I disappoint him or did something bad?"

"Believe me,he is strict ,but he is fair. He will never expect something you can't do and if I were in trouble, he would be the one person, I would trust to help me.".

Tim rubbed the kitten's fur,he was thinking about what Jimmy said. He already knew that Gibbs was different from the other men last night ,when he held him,but it was still difficult to trust anyone and when he struggle against Gibbs, he felt how strong he was.

Tim and Jimmy laughed again,when the kitten pounced on a fake mouse that was half his size. He looked up at Jimmy shyly,"I'm going to name him Jimmy,because you are my first real friend."

Jimmy didn't know what to say,he knew the boy already crept deep into his heart."I know you will look after him well and you can always talk to me ,if you need someone too talk to."

Jimmy wrote down his telephone number and he and Tim scooped the kitten up of the bed and went down to dinner ,as soon as Jackson called them. Gibbs and his father smiled when they watched how much Jimmy and the boy ate. Jimmy blushed when Jackson put the big piece of apple pie in front of him,saying that he deserved it. Jimmy enjoyed the meal and was surprised to find that after a while he could relax and listen to the interesting things Jackson told them.

Jimmy insisted on washing the dishes after supper and the two older men watched as he and Tim did the dishes. They listened to the relaxed way in which Jimmy explained to Tim how to look after the kitten. Tim now and again asked something and both men were happy that he crept out of his shell. They laughed when they heard the cat's name was Jimmy and was touched when Jimmy blushed again.

Gibbs walked out with Jimmy to his car and once again thanked the younger man and extended an invitation that he could come visit any time. In his gut he knew that Tim and Jimmy had more in common than just having cats. He made a mental note to ask Ducky about Palmer's childhood.

Jimmy nervously told Gibbs about the boy's fear to eat and almost flinched away when he saw the anger in the older man's eyes. Gibbs pushed the anger away and thanked Jimmy once again,before the younger man drove away. Inside the living room he found Jackson and the boy ,playing on the couch with the energetic kitten and it felt good to have a family once again.


	7. Chapter 7

Gibbs was busy sanding his boat,it was therapeutic to smooth the rough edges out of the wood and his hands glided rhythmically with the grain of the wood. Tim had a good day and went to sleep early,the small cat nestling protectively on a spare pillow on his bed. He smiled at the memory how the boy had lay on the edge of the bed,being afraid that he would hurt the small creature during the night ,by rolling on to it.

His father suggested that they had to get a cat-bed the next day,but he knew it would be a waste of money. The small boy was entranced with the little kitten and would anyway smuggle him into his bed. He even took the kitten into the bathroom when he had his shower,afraid that the kitten would run away while he washed. Gibbs knew the main reason was that he was afraid that his new furry playmate would be taken away from him,but kept the thought to himself.

He had to thank Palmer again the next day,the small kitten brought so much pleasure and happiness to the boy. He wouldn't make a scene because he knew how shy the young assistant was,but he would covertly reward him with a cup of coffee. It was sad how many people went through life being abused as children and he couldn't help to wonder what happened to Palmer as a child.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the small figure huddling on the basement steps. The nightmares plagued Tim relentlessly and the guilt was eating away at his soul. He could have swore that he woke up, to his mother and sister's ghost hovering over his bed,there eyes full of accusations. He didn't deserve the small ,wonderful creature Jimmy gave him and it would be better if he told what he did,before he came to love the little animal more.

This house was nice,it was clean,warm and he never went hungry,but it was the people that lived in it and those that came to visit,that made it a wonderful place to stay. He wished he could stay here,it felt so safe in agent Gibbs's arm and although he looked so scary,Tim realised that he wouldn't hurt him. The grandfatherly older man,was friendly and he loved his stories. Agent Gibbs was a federal agent though and he wouldn't allow a murdered like Tim to stay.

He wanted to run away in the dark,leave before they woke up,but they were good people and deserved more. Anyway it wouldn't be long before they found him and he had to tell them the truth. He silently dressed and sneaked down the stairs,only to find the basement-light was still on and he could hear faint piano music playing downstairs.

He stood in front of the front door,his hand resting on the latch for a very long time,hesitating on what to do. The agent deserved the truth as well as his mother and sister,he turned around and went down the stairs. Halfway he realised that Gibbs was so busy that he didn't hear or see him. He sat down quietly on the steps,the fear once again back and his earlier resolve leaving him.

The tears dripped down his cheek and he didn't even try to wipe them back. There was no reason any-more to hide his weakness,the big man working on the boat would hurt him and he would go to jail after he told the truth. Some of the men his father brought to his room,had been in jail before and it filled him with terror to think how it would be,to be locked up with them day after day. It wasn't as if his father's friends didn't already hurt him in every way,maybe he would be able to endure it,because it was what he deserved.

A small movement caught Gibbs's eye and he looked-up and saw the small,pathetic figure huddling on his stairs. He rushed to the boy,squatting down in front of him."Timmy,why are you out of bed? Did you have another nightmare?"

The total desperation and fear in the boy's big,green eyes took his breath away,he once saw a deer caught in a trap and it had the same frantic,fear-filled eyes as the boy. He reached out and wrapped the boy in his arms,the small body slumped against him. He instinctively started to rock him,"Ssh,ssh,everything is going to be okay!Tell me what frightened you so much?"

Tim gripped on to his shirt and hid his face against the strong,broad shoulder. His small body was shivering in fear."Do...do...you believe in ghosts,Mr. Gibbs?"

Gibbs rubbed small soothing circles on his back,"No,I have lived for a long time and I haven't seen one yet. Why are you asking?"

The boy hesitated,his small hands grabbing tightly on to Gibbs's shirt,as if he was anchoring himself to safety. His head was bend and kept on hiding against the agent's body."Did you have a bad nightmare?"

Tim took a deep breath and then looked up in the sharp blue eyes of the man holding him,"I have...seen...seen my..my...mom and Sarah."

"No,no,Timmy,it was just a bad dream,I'm sure they are fine." Gibbs tried to reassure the boy,the thought that they would come and take the boy ,filled his heart with fear. He enjoyed the boy's presence in his life far to much already and Tim felt like his own son.

The boy looked up and his eyes were pleading,although Gibbs couldn't understand what he was asking for."They...they..are...dead,I...I...!"

The boy started to sob,pressing his head once again against the shoulder,trying to hide. Thousands of thoughts went through his head and he wondered if the father had something to do with it. He lifted the boy's chin,forcing him gently to look up,"Do you know what happened to them?"

Tim nodded and anxiously started to gnaw on his fingernail. Gibbs gently pushed the hand away,"Did your father hurt them?"

The soft frightened voice broke his heart."It..it...was...was...my FAULT!" The last word came out as a shout.

"No,no,you could never hurt anyone. Tell me what happened?"

"We...boat...I got...seasick...!" Gibbs listened patiently and it took the boy a very long time to get the words out and for him to make sense of them. Tim told him how his father took the family sailing and how the boy got seasick. After two days he was dehydrated severely,but his father forbid his mother to take care of the sick boy,wanting him to get over his weakness. The mother feared for her child and tried to help the boy,but the father hit her and she fell overboard while she was holding his sister. The father didn't make any effort to save them and told the boy it was his fault and that his actions killed them.

Gibbs wanted to kill the father and was almost relieved that he was in jail,he couldn't do something stupid and risk the boy loosing his custody. It broke his heart that the fragile and sensitive child had to carry such a burden alone. He tried to calm the boy down and was surprised when he asked in a scared voice,"Will you take me ….to jail now?"

"Oh,God no Timmy! It wasn't your fault,there was nothing you could do to stop your father!"

"But..if I hadn't got sick …...my father said...my fault!"

"Tim you couldn't help that you got sick,your father hit your mother and stood by while she and your sister drowned. You did nothing wrong and this is your home now,you are staying right here with me!"

The boy was looking so pale and exhausted that he feared ,that he was in shock. He was still sobbing but in his weakened condition it came out as whimpers. He drifted asleep,but as soon as Gibbs got up to take him to bed,he stirred and shouted fearfully,"I'm sorry...sorry...so sorry!"

Gibbs was worried while he carried him to his room,the boy was very distraught. Jackson heard the noise and stormed out of his room,"Dad he had a nightmare and we talked about some of the traumatic things that happened,but I can't get him to calm down. Could you sit with him while I go and call Ducky?"

"Sure Leroy!" Jackson followed him into the room and lifted the kitten of the bed. Gibbs tried to put the boy down,but he fearfully grabbed onto his shirt,almost clinging on to him like a lost bat and wrapped his legs around the agent's waist.

Jackson looked at the situation and made a quick decision,"Let me go call Ducky,you do have speed dial?"

Gibbs was surprised that his dad knew about speed dial,"He is on no.1!"

Gibbs kept on rocking the boy,still worried about his mental condition. The boy kept on mumbling and sobbing,his face getting more flushed and warm. He was relieved when Ducky arrived soon and the older man decided to give the boy a mild sedative. He helped the boy to drink the pill with the hot chocolate Jackson made and soon the boy fell asleep and his body became limp.

Gibbs told the other men what happened and was surprised when Ducky swore. The well-mannered and kind elderly man,rarely sad a bad word about another human being. He looked sadly up at them,"He was afraid I would put him in jail and was going to run away,but his manners prevented him from leaving and making us worry."

Ducky put his hand on his friend's shoulder,"Jethro,I'm sure he is going need some reassurance once he wakes up,but now that he told you what happened he can start to heal. The psychologist will help the lad to work through his guilt."

Jackson was still hovering near the bed,tucking the boy protectively in. Tim already crept into his heart and he hated that he was hurt so much,"I hope the bastard that is his father,is going to pay for this?"

Gibbs reached for his father's arm,"Oh,you can be sure of that,Dad!"

The men was surprised by the scratching and grinding noise they heard in the corner of the room. Ducky looked at the small fury creature in the sandbox,"And this fellow,Jethro,who is he?"

Gibbs chuckled,the atmosphere in the room lightened,"That is small Jimmy Gibbs,named after your assistant Palmer."

Ducky's eyebrows arched impressively,"You do have to tell me the story behind that,Jethro." The M.E just loved a good story and looked expectantly at the other men.


	8. Chapter 8

Jack was rocking slowly in the chair his son made for his wife,when she was expecting Kelly. It brought tears to his eyes when he thought about the loss of the beautiful red-head and his beloved granddaughter ,Kelly. Shannon used to sit in the chair rocking the small girl,while she breastfed her.

A small sniffle brought his attention back to the young boy,shifting in his sleep. He had a new grandson ,who was going to need his help recovering from all the horrible things he had to go through. It was a bitter-sweet thought,no child should ever have to go through what Tim did,but at the same time he had a new grandchild to love.

Jack had a heart full of love and couldn't wait to get to know the boy better. Leroy was never a child that needed much care and sometimes it hurt him because it seemed as if his son didn't need him at all . Now he had the chance once more to love a little boy and to teach him all the wonders the world around him held. He absently rub the small kitten lying fast asleep on his lap,both of them guarding the pale boy from the monsters lurking in the dark.

Gibbs and Ducky sat around the kitchen table ,both lost in their own thoughts while drinking the tea Ducky brewed. The younger man broke the silence first,"I wish I could just kill his father and get it over with,the bastard doesn't deserve to live!"

"Jethro,he will get what he deserves! The boy needs you now and you can't risk doing anything foolish that would make the courts send him away."

"I know Duck,but I can't help feeling like I want to strangle him. The poor boy went through so much."

"Jethro,we can't keep on focusing on the past,you need to create a new life for the boy."

"Yes,Duck. I don't even know if I can give the boy what he needs,I'm not good with emotions,my last ex-wife said ,I have the emotional IQ of a rock."

"Now,now Jethro,you are doing a great job,the boy already trusts you."

The conversation was getting way to personal and Gibbs tried to steer the ME's attention away."Ducky,why do I get the idea Palmer didn't have a nice childhood?"

Ducky looked at his friend,his eyes filling with sorrow."No Jethro,his father was quit abusive and the lad was removed from his home at the same age as young Timothy."

"Why Duck,do people not take care of the precious gifts they were given. I would give anything to hold Kelly once more. Why did she have to die when these bastards got to keep their children?"

Ducky watched sadly as his friend jumped up and loudly shoved the chair back under the table. Gibbs went back up the stairs to check on the boy and wasn't surprised to see his father guarding the sleeping boy. He ruffled the soft fur of the small kitten,"You need to go and rest Dad,I will sit here for a bit. Ducky made some tea if you want some."

Jack wanted to protest but he saw the raw need in his son's eyes,to make sure the boy was safe. He relinquished his seat with regret and handed the small fur ball to his son. Both men didn't often touch each other,but Jack couldn't help the strong grip on his son's shoulder to silently give his support. Sometimes foolish pride kept them saying what needed to be said and Jack couldn't help feeling guilty about it,but that was the easiest way sometimes.

Tim woke up slowly,he felt as if he was moving through syrup. The first thing he noticed was the small kitten lying next to him on the pillow. He softly stroke the cat behind its small ears and marvelled at the thought that it was his kitten,his very first pet. The kitten started to purr without even waking up and he couldn't help to smile softly,lovingly gazing at his new friend.

He slowly stretched and sat up,his stomach gave a loud protest,indicating that he was hungry. The smell of frying bacon wafted up the stairs and made his mouth water. It was wonderful to wake up safe and warm and to know that maybe the wonderful smell of bacon meant you were going to get a meal to eat.

As he quickly dressed he remembered what happened the previous night and he could help hoping that what Gibbs said was true. Maybe it wasn't his fault that his mother and sister died and hopefully he didn't need to go to jail. Tim hesitated a few more minutes in his room but then decided that it was better to face the world and to get it over with.

He silently slipped down the stairs and found both men busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Hovering nervously in the doorway he waited for them to notice him first,his fingers couldn't help fidgeting nervously. Once they saw him,he would know if they still wanted him to stay or were going to sent him away,he hoped they would feed him first.

Gibbs turned to put the plate of pancakes on the table and saw the young boy hesitating in the doorway,it broke his heart to see the boy still so nervous. He hid the emotion and said,"I hope you are hungry son,grandpa Jack made enough food to feed two families."

Jack couldn't help smiling proudly,he liked to be called grandpa again. Tim shyly greeted both men and then started to attack his breakfast. The adults couldn't help smiling now and again while they watched the boy eat,at the rate Tim was eating it wouldn't be long before he picked up some much needed weight.

The companionable silence around the table was broken when Tony showed up to give the latest report on the case to his boss. The covert glances Tony directed at the food on the table prompted Jack to invite the senior agent to join them and accepted without any hesitation.

Tony dug into the breakfast and couldn't help grinning at the boy when Jack scooped some more scrambled eggs onto their plates."The old men sure know how to feed us young ones,Timmy!"

Tim was shocked when Gibbs slapped the agent at the back of his head and he stopped chewing,watching them in anticipation. He was reassured that everything was all-right when the younger agent smiled and said with a full mouth,"Thank you,Boss!"

Gibbs mentally head-slapped himself when he saw the boy's reaction and was relieved when he noticed the boy went back to his food after Tony thanked him for the slap. He already spoke to the child psychologist while Tim was sleeping and she wanted to see them later that morning. He dreaded the visits after Tim's emotional breakdown last night but knew the boy was going to need some help to work through his feelings of guilt.

Tim helped Jack with the dishes and then went up to get his new playmate,they ended up on the carpet in the living room playing with the kitten's colourful toys. Grandpa Jack sat nearby keeping a protective eye on both.

Tony was introduced to Jimmy the cat and felt slightly jealous that the kitten was named after the autopsy gremlin. Gibbs silently smirked watching his agents face after he heard about how the kitten came by its name,it was sometimes hard for Tony not to be the centre of attention. Gibbs didn't blame him,knowing how little affection the younger man got while he grew up. He knew that Tony didn't only love the food Jack made,but the big attraction was having a meal with a caring family,Tony still craved affection after all these years.

He took pity on Tony and couldn't help inviting the young agent for dinner."Tony,I was thinking of grilling some steaks tonight,do you want to join us?"

Jack watched the happy glow in the young agent's eyes and smiled to himself. It didn't matter how gruff and stern his son looked,he still had a soft heart. The thought made him feel proud of his son,maybe he didn't do such a bad job raising his him

Gibbs paced nervously in the waiting room at the psychologist's office,it was already a hour since she and Tim disappeared into her office. When the door opened he couldn't help to rush to the boy,kneeling down he held the boy's shoulders while looking into his red-rimmed eyes. Angry eyes looked up to the women standing behind the boy and nothing could hide the fact that he didn't like the fact that she made his new son cry.

Tessa watched the agent kneeling in front of the boy and watched how gently he asked the boy if he was fine. The protective manner in which he comforted the boy,put all her fears to rest,she knew the boy was in the right place and she would urged the courts to give the older agent full custody of the boy. She gave them a few minutes of privacy and then beckoned the older man into her office.

Gibbs nervously sat on the couch watching the younger women,he never felt at ease in the presence of a psychologist and couldn't hide the fact. "Is Tim going to be okay? What should I do to help him more?"

"Mr. Gibbs you are doing a fine job,but Tim still has a long way to go."

"I just feel so helpless,I don't know what to do sometimes to help him more."

"He already feels safe with you and that is the most important thing. It was a very good idea to give him the little kitten to look after,it will help to improve his self-confidence. I know it is hard,but you can only be there when he needs you,the rest will take time."


	9. Chapter 9

Tim hid in the bathroom,he wedged himself into the small space under the basin. The door was locked and he couldn't help whimpering now and again. He held the compact cellphone in his hand,clutching it desperately like a lifeline.

The three men were outside on the deck busy grilling steaks ,while they were drinking beer. Alcohol was never a good idea and in his experience as soon as the men got drunk they would come looking for him. It was then that all the bad things would start.

He stroked the kitten softly,"Its okay,Jimmy,I won't let them hurt you!"

If he could just stay out of their way,they would forget about him soon and if they drank enough they would pass out and forget about him. Tim shivered,his intelligent mind looking for a way out,but he knew he couldn't defend himself against three men,two of them could be really scary if they got angry.

He remembered that Jimmy Palmer told him that he could phone if he ever needed help and he scrolled through the numbers on his phone. Jimmy was just finished washing his few dishes when his phone rang,he hoped it wasn't Dr. Mallard.

A small frightened voice talked ,before he could get out a greeting. "Jim...my...!"

"Tim is that you?"

Jimmy could hear the sobs on the other end and got really worried. "Timmy are you okay?"

"They...they are ..drinking and I'm afraid!"

Jimmy's own heart started to beat in fear,he knew all too well what could happen when your parents got drunk. He forced himself to calm down,Gibbs would never hurt the boy. At least he hoped so. "Tim , Gibbs would never hurt you! Do you want me to come and help you?"

There was a long pause on the other end,"He is going to be angry,I don't want him to hurt you also!"

"No,no,Tim he won't hurt us,I am going to be there in a few minutes,just stay where you are!"

"I'm so afraid Jimmy!"

Jimmy grabbed his keys,"Its going to be okay,I promise Timmy!"

Jimmy took a deep breath and then phoned Gibbs,his heart was beating so fast that he was sure it would be bruised against his ribs. He couldn't help feeling like a scared ten year old again and he could almost smell the beer laced breath of his father.

Gibbs was just going to look for Tim when his phone rang. He groaned,hoping that they weren't called out to a crime scene. His voice sounded more gruff than he intended when he answered.

"Gibbs..!"

Jimmy froze on the other end,Gibbs didn't sound very friendly. He hesitated before he answered,"Agent...Gibbs...hmm...ummmm!"

"Palmer is something wrong?",Gibbs answered worried.

"Yes...yes...Sir! Um...um...!"

"Jimmy take a deep breath and tell me slowly what is wrong." Tony and Jack was standing near Gibbs,both were worried about Jimmy.

"It isn't me,its Tim!"

"Jimmy ,Tim is fine he is in the house!"

"No,no Gibbs he is hiding in the bathroom,he is scared!"

Gibbs was already rushing to the bathroom,when he heard Jimmy's frantic voice on the line."Gibbs,Gibbs leave him alone. You were drinking and he got scared,it reminded him of his father and his friends. I'm going to be there soon,please let me talk to him first!"

Gibbs stopped in his tracks and held out his arm to stop the other men."Okay Jimmy,but please hurry!"

The three men sat ashamed on the couch in the living room. Gibbs explained what happened and they felt guilty. Tony could relate to how Tim felt,his father was always worse when he was drunk and it was then that he really did the bad things to his son.

Jimmy rushed to the door and only hesitated briefly before he knocked softly. Gibbs felt even worse when he saw the fear in Palmer's eyes,knowing that this experience brought some bad memories back to the younger man. He had to clamp down the anger when he saw how carefully,Palmer slipped past him into the hallway. This was really a big mess and he hoped Tim could trust them once again,the three men only had one beer each.

Gibbs returned to the living room,"I'm sorry Tony,I didn't think this would happen."

"It isn't your fault,Boss! I can understand why Tim got afraid,my dad was worse when he had a few drinks."

Jack put his hand on the younger agents shoulder,"Ow Tony,I'm sorry your father didn't know what a wonderful son he had."

Tony blushed and quickly tried to hide his scars."Its his loss Jack. Gibbs will Tim be okay?"

"I hope so Tony,I really hope so!"

Jimmy knocked softly on the closed bathroom door,"Tim its me!"

After a while he tried again,"Timmy its okay ,you can open the door now."

The door open slightly and Jimmy could see the frightened boy still shivering and sobbing. "Ah Tim,they won't hurt you ,I promise!"

Jimmy led the frightened boy down the stairs and could feel how the small hand shivered in his own,for some reason his own eyes were filled with tears. They walked slowly into the living room and sat down on the comfortable love-seat,side by side. Tim held desperately onto the fabric of Palmer's shirt,needing the comforting contact.

Tony was the first one to break the silence,"I'm sorry if we frightened you Tim,we only had one beer each. I know your dad used to hurt you when he was drunk,my dad did the same thing,but Gibbs would never hurt you even if he had more than one beer. You are really safe here!"

Tim blushed,maybe he was worse than a scared cat,"I'm sorry...!"

Gibbs frowned,"No,no Timmy,it isn't your fault,you did nothing wrong. I'm proud of you, you had enough common sense to phone Jimmy,which is good. You are part of our family now and Jimmy is one of us,you can always come to one of us when you are scared or hurt. Families look out for each other and we might not be a normal family,but we still care about each other."

Tim looked at the adults,his eyes moved from one face to the next and in everyone's eyes he saw the same thing. He was truly safe here and maybe,just maybe they cared about him.

Jack stood up,"Come on everyone,dinner is getting cold. Jimmy you have to join us,I have made another delicious pie this afternoon."

The group gathered around the kitchen table and soon Tony had everyone laughing with his antics. Despite his original fear and apprehension ,Tim enjoyed the meal although he only said a few words.


End file.
